How To Preserve Your Leather Shoes

As leather a shoe are pretty expensive and also looks quite attractive to make the first impression. Thus it requires good care compared to other shoes.
Without the proper care of the leather it can dry out and sometimes it even cracks and falls apart.

To actually protect your leather shoes and keep them in their best looking conditions you have to follow the four basic steps. The four basic steps are to clean, condition, polish and preserve.

Leather shoes are the expensive shoes and by preserving the leather shoes you are preserving the investment. Care of shoes does not only mean to make them look good but it also means to preserve and add life to them. If lot of money has been invested to buy the shoes it does make sense to take care of the shoes.

Basic Steps To Preserve The Leather Shoes

Clean

After using the leather shoes it is very necessary to clean them with a piece of cloth. Use a piece of cloth or brush to remove the dust particles. Avoid wearing the leather shoes during monsoon season because the mud that sticks to the shoes dries up which results in the cracking/peeling of leather. Use cleaning solutions like creams, gels and forms to thoroughly clean the shoes.

Condition

Petroleum jelly or a good quality of shoe conditioner which is available in the market can be used as a shoe conditioner. Conditioning shoes once in a week helps to retain the shine. Always wipe in circular motion with a soft cloth. Select conditioner as per the texture of the leather. Don’t forget to dry the shoes properly after conditioning.

Polish

Based on the usage of leather shoes polish it regularly, as a coat of polish can completely change the look of the shoes. Always use branded shoe polish and never compromise on the quality of polish. Don’t try to use the polish of some other color as it can completely spoil the look of the shoes.

Storing

Store your shoes in a proper way. Never put away the shoes immediately after use. Always dry them properly otherwise there is a danger of fungus. Also dust some talcum powder on the shoes and wrap them properly in a cloth bag.

Protecting

Leather shoes are very likely to catch fungus and to protect them from fungus always dry the shoes after the use. And even if the shoe is covered with the fungus take a brush and soap solution and clean the fungus from the shoe. Dry the shoes properly in the sunlight. A proper care will help to preserve or treasure the shoes for long and also a little care can make investment worthwhile.

Few Tips

A coat of Mink oil will also keep them resistant. The stains on the leather shoes can be removed with the mixture of water and vinegar. Mix it in equal parts and apply it on stain till it vanishes.

Remove the laces to clean the shoes as they can be cleaned separately. Do not use any other color shoe polish to change the color of the shoes.

Leather shoes are soft, flexible, durable and luxurious. Leather also contains natural oils and if they are extreme moisture will remove the oil and will harden the leather.

The easiest way to protect the leather and extend its life is Waterproofing. Waterproofing is a simple method of adding a solution to the leather shoes and making them water proof. This solution is basically made up of a type of wax which is when absorbed by the leather will protect it from water damage. The solution is quite inexpensive and is easy to apply.

Photo Credit: hottershoes.com

The amount of protection which you want to give depends on you. Shoes which are used very frequently should be given the maximum protection. Also there are different kinds of leather which are used to make the products thus it is very important to know the type of leather like if it is thin or too delicate.

Leather should not be exposed under the direct sunlight and it should be cleaned regularly. Always remember that dirt is the biggest enemy of leather.

Using Right Treatment

Before going for any treatment it is very important to know the kind of leather as different products are made up of different kinds of leather. Products which have high silicon level like sprays and waxes cannot be used for thin and delicate leather and vice versa.

Also the leather shoes which are more exposed to moisture or are used very frequently under wet conditions should be provided maximum protection and also they should be cleaned daily.

Similarly shoes which are worn in the cold winter should be provided extra care. Before using or applying any chemical it is very necessary to do spot check. Always check a small portion or a patch of leather first and soak it in the solution over the night and then try the same on the rest of the product.

For waterproofing the leather shoe always apply oils and waxes on a shoe brush or cotton rag. Then remove the extra dirt from the leather. Use a clean cloth and apply the product all over the shoe and apply it evenly. Then use a clean cotton rag and wipe out the extra oil. Keep it overnight.

To preserve the life of the good quality leather shoes polish them once in a month and polish only when needed. Only for the smooth leathers dirt should be removed regularly. A good cleaning will help to remove the stains.

Conditioning the shoes will soften and moisturize the shoes and will protect the leather shoes from drying and cracking. Leather shoes which are worn the dryer climate should be conditioned more often.

Shoe polish is available in four forms i.e., wax, liquids, creams and paste. Using wax will not only give shine but also will prevent it from moisture. Creams and pastes works on all types of smooth leathers.

To get the shine back of the old leather shoe is take an olive oil and apply it all over the shoe and leave it for 30 minutes then clean it with a cotton rag.

Leather is a great material and has its own natural shine and if it is taken care of very well it will last for long. Leather should be cleaned religiously and cleaning leather shoes require daily care and maintenance.